Seat Belts for Dogs

Guapita and Talulah just got car seat belts.

Guapita doesn't move around very much in the car. She generally stays put. She is never anything but an angel,so well behaved that one. But T-dog (Talulah) on the other hand, she tends to move around until she finds a good spot, and all too often that spot is behind the neck of the driver or passenger.

I particularly feel uneasy when she acts like a neck warmer / pillow around my mother when she is the driver. I see visions, bad ones, when I see this happen.

I am happy about the car seat belts, but training them to use them is going to be another thing! Well, actually, it's mostly Talulah I'm worried about. She is like Houdini, gets out of anything! I need to be very stern with her and stand my ground. She doesn't like it. She doesn't relax into it. Before you know it she is out of breath trying to get out of it. Lord grant me patience ... my mom, too.

The main reason for my post is to encourage the idea of seat belts for our best friends. I came across some good reasons to use them. Consider the following:

1. Distraction
Pets can be a distraction. Distractions cause accidents. Remember Stephen King? He was hit by a car as the driver was trying to keep his rottweiler under control.

2. Impact
Pets without seatbelts are just like people without seatbelts: If you slam on the brakes or hit another car, you and everything else that's not restrained goes flying toward the windshield. A large dog hurtling at you or another passenger from the backseat can be deadly for you and the dog.

3. Emergencies
A dog that has been in an accident is likely to be in shock, confused, and injured. The dog could attack rescue personnel who are trying to help you. You can minimize this danger by properly restraining your dog.

4. Control
Even well-trained dogs have been known to jump after a chipmunk, cat, or another dog. If your dog is in a seat belt, he can't jump out the window or run into the street when you open your door.

5. Comfort
Isn't it simply more pleasant to ride in a car when everyone, human and canine, stays in their seat?

I know, obvious sounding, right? Yet, it's been 7 years since we've had our girl Guapita and we're just belting her in now. You know what they say, better late....